Divot indicating golf practice mat

ABSTRACT

A golf practice mat formed of many separate strands of bendable members each individually extending upwardly from a base in spaced relation to one another to simulate blades of grass and a turfy surface of imitation grass, the individual strands being adapted to assume and stay in a bent condition impressed therethrough by the movement of a golf club head for collectively indicating the direction of such movement relative to a centerline aimed toward target until reset into upright condition preparatory to the next practice stroke of movement of a golf club head therethrough.

1 51 Feb. 20, 1973 United States Patent [.91

Bohnen [54] DIVOT INDICATING GOLF PRACTICE MAT Primary Examiner-George.l. Marlo Att0mey--Leslie M. Hansen [57] ABSTRACT A golf practice matformed of many separate strands of bendable members each individuallyextending up- 22 Filed:

wardly from a base in spaced relation to one another [52] 0.8. CI..................273/l86 R, 273/195 A to simulate blades of grass and aturfy surface of imitation grass, the individual strands being adaptedto as- Int. 69/36 sume and stay in a bent condition impressed 273/193therethrough by the movement of a golf club head for collectivelyindicating the direction of such movement References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 3,343,843 Stanko..............................273/1 86 R3,467,391 Elesh A r q 2 m PATENTED 3.717, 349

sum 10? 2 INVENTOR.

DAVID J. BOHNEN H/S ATTORNEY DIVOT INDICATING GOLF PRACTICE MATBACKGROUND This invention relates to a golf practice mat and moreparticularly to a mat simulating turf for indicating the line of strokeof a golf club therethrough.

Golf is one of the most difficult of all spots to learn and requiresfrequent practice to play well. The average golfer does not have thetime or money to spend many hours at a driving range. What is needed isa golf practice device that can be used at home, in the office, in amotel, etc. that will show the golfer if he is swinging correctly.

In golf the main purpose of any golfer is his desire that his swing besuch that the ball will be hit down the middle," i.e., center, of afairway. Most amateur golfers have a problem in that their swing mayresult in what is known as a hook" in which the ball veers to the left;or a slice in which the ball tends to take a trajectory toward the rightof center.

There are many forms of practice mats by which to indicate whether thepractice stroke of a club head will result in a hit down the middle, aslice or a hook. US. Pat. No. 3,479,878 to Loeffler, Nov. 25, 1969,indicates the direction of stroke. So does U.S. Pat. No. 3,472,075 datedOct. 14, 1969, to Oppenheimer. These two disclosures are more directedto tee shots as distinguished from unteed balls such as those lying onturf. In cases of a ball lying on grass, it is often necessary that thebase of the club head be below the ball with a result that some grassand turf is disturbed. This is known as a divot caused by the club headof an "iron or intermediate club swishing through the turf in the followthrough of the stroke.

The next best indication to a correct swing than the flight of the ballis the divot the club takes in the turf. This shows the golfer the arehis club took, which determines the flight of the ball, and it alsoshows the golfer if he is hitting the ball before the turf, which iscorrect.

The closest reference found alluding to the feeling a golfer gets whenhis club head strikes turf is US. Pat. No. 3,45l,683 which issued toOliver, June 24, 1969, for a Golf Practice Mat wit Pivotable BristleAssemblies. This Oliver patent, however, the pivotal action is in onedirection only and does not accurately indicate whether the stroke wouldresult in a slice or hook shot of the ball.

THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention contemplates the provisionof a golf practice mat made up of a plurality of independent strands ofbendable material each simulating an individual blade of grass. Thesestrands are normally in a natural upstanding condition and are adaptedto assume a bent condition in a direction dependent upon the path ofswing of a golf club head therethrough. The strands of simulated grassremain in a bent condition to indicate to the golfer either the error oraccuracy of his practice swing. The invention further contemplates meansfor resetting the bendable strands of simulated grass into a normal orupright condition preparatory to the next practice swing by the golfer.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention toprovide a golf practice mat of imitation grass by which to indicate thedirection of swing of a golf club head therethrough. In this connection,it is a further object to provide such a mat with means enabling thepracticing golfer to see the results of his swing much the same as hewould by a divot made in the grass on a regulation golf course.

It is a further object to provide such a mat, means for replacing thedivot, albeit resetting the imitation strands of grass into an erect orupstanding condition.

A still further object is to provide such a mat which is simple inconstruction, economical to manufacture and highly efficient in use. Inthis connection, it is an object to provide a mat on a simple portablebase through which U-shaped wire members extend and have their bightportions secured so that the arms of the U-shaped wire members extendparallel upwardly therefrom through a resetting member for combing bentarms back into upstanding conditions.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparentfrom a reading of the following description in the light of theaccompanying two sheets of drawings in which:

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show various stances of a golfer relative to a matincluding the embodiment of the present invention; FIG. I showing astraight, centerline stroke and FIG. 1A showing an enlarged detail ofthe club head and ball relative to the mat; FIG. 2 showing the result ofa slice swing and FIG. 2A a detailed enlargement of the club head andball relative to the mat; and FIG. 3 the results of a hook shot in whichFIG. 3A is a detailed enlargement of the club head, ball and mat;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the mat of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 at larger scale;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section through FIG. 4 takensubstantially alone line 5-5 therein;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5 showing the mat strands bentdue to the stroke of a club head therethrough;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5 showing the resetting of thebent strands of the mat to normal, erect condition; and

FIG. 8 is a view similar to that of FIG. 7 showing the strands of themat restored to erect condition as in FIG. 5.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings, the practice mat 10embodying the present invention is of rectangular form and of a sizesuitable for enabling a golfer to make a full natural swing of a golfclub along its upper surface. The mat 10 includes a base 11 of rigidmaterial from which a plurality of brush-like bristles 12 extendvertically. The bristles 12 are in close proximity and cooperate withone another to provide a relatively firm, turfy upper surface upon whicha ball may rest. The base and bristles of the mat simulate natural turfand the bristles collectively imitate grass such as to yield to themovement of a golf club head thereover without damaging the latter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In accordance with the present invention, eachindividual bristle I2 is a single strand of material so constituted asto assume a bent condition under the force of movement of a club headtherethrough. Therefore,

each single strand 12 is characterized by the fact that it will assume abent condition as engaged by the club head and remain in that positionuntil intentionally erected by a person using the practice mat.

For the purposes of the present invention, each single strand of bristle12 is made of soft durable metal wire 13 that will withstand fatiguefrom repeated disturbances between bent and straightened condition. Thewire is preferably although not necessarily covered with a coatingcolored to simulate grass. This coating may be dipped or spray appliedand of the thermoplastic fusion type such as vinyls and polyethyleneswhich adhere to the wire element despite the persistent bending from andtoward straight condition.

As best illustrated in FIGS. through 8, each of the coated wires 13 areindependent U-shaped elements having their arms extending upwardlythrough adjacent holes 14- 14' bored vertically through the base 11. Thebight portions 15 of these U-shaped wire elements 13 are seated intransverse grooves 16 provided on the bottom surface 17 of the base 11.The bight portions 15 and that section of the arms of the wire elements13 confined within the holes 14-14 are suitably united with the base 1 1by means of a plastic cement 18 which sets up to bind the base andmembers together as a unitary whole.

The free ends 13' of the U-shaped wire elements extend upwardly from thebase 11 through a member 20 for resetting the bristle elements intostraightened condition. The resetting member 20 consists of a movableapertured panel through which the strands of wire elements 13 extendconcentrically thereof. In the present disclosure, the panel 20 is shownas having holes 24 bored therethrough in register with the holes 14-14in the base 11. The resetting member of panel 20 is guided for up anddown movement relative to the base 1 l by guide rods 25 preferably setas comer posts at the four corners of the base 1 1. Each rod 25 isanchored in the base 11 and extends through a bore in an ear 27extending from an edge 28-28 of the movable panel 20. Means 30 forelevating the resetting panel 20 relative to the base 11 is alsoprovided. In its simplest form, the means 30 is shown to consist of apair of handles 31 31' attached to opposite edges 28-28 of the panel 20.By means of the handles 31-31, the panel 20 can be manually lifted,while being guided by the four corner posts 25, to straighten out andreset the wire bristle elements 13 as a unit.

To assure stability of the base 1 1 during lifting of the resettingpanel 20, a suitable treadle 32 on the base may be provided in the eventthe base is not permanently secured. It should here be noted that themeans 30 for elevating the resetting panel 21 may well be foot operatedby a simple leverage between the treadle 32 and the panel 20 by which toraise and lower the latter. In either event, the upward movement of thepanel 20 during resetting operation is limited by means of enlargedheads 35 on the upper ends of each of the rods 25. This limit ofmovement is calculated to stop the panel 20 when it has raised to theupper extremities of all of the wire bristle elements 13. By thisarrangement, the multitudinous bristles which make up the mat 10 arecombed out and straightened after each practice stroke of a golf clubhead across its upper surface.

Referring now to FIG. 6, it will be noted that the head of a golf clubin passing through the upstanding wire bristle elements 13 will bendthose engaged. The wire bristles 13 so bent will remain in the bentcondition thus impressed upon them. In this manner there will be anindication of the exact path taken by the club head through the matbristles.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 through 3 and their auxilliary views in FIGS.1A, 2A and 3A, the practicing golfer can tell by the bend of the wirebristles 13 whether his stroke to the ball is centered or inward oroutside of center. Moreover, he will also be apprised of whether thedepth of his swing is too far back or too far forward of the lie of theball on the mat. By studying the results of each swing, the golfer canlearn to control his stance, swing and force of stroke.

Once this control is established, the golfer can perform intentionalslices and/or hook shots in situations required due to obstructionsbetween the lie of a ball and the green. He can also learn to start hisstrokes back of the ball for loft and/or pitch shots. Most important,however, with the present mat 10, the golfer can practice golf swings inhis home, ofiice, motel or other enclosures and have an indication bythe bendable bristles of the mat the exact results of each such swing ofthe club head.

Having thus described the practice mat in specific detail, it will beappreciated by those skilled in the art that the structure thereof maybe altered, modified and/or varied without departing from the spirit orscope of my invention therein and as call for in the ap pended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a golf practice mat over which a golf club may be swung toward agolf ball to impress a pattern in the mat dependent upon the directionand depth of movement of the club head relative to said mat comprising:

1 a rigid base;

2. a plurality of independent strands of soft durable bendable wire ableto withstand fatigue from repeated bending and straightening thereof;

3. means for mounting each of said strands of bendable wire in closespaced relation on said base with their free ends extending upwardlytherefrom to a level providing a turfy grass like surface for supportinga golf ball thereon and for receiving an impression upon bending of suchstrands of bendable wire as are struck by the stroke of the head of agolf club over such surface;

4. a panel of rigid material substantially matching said base;

5. a plurality of apertures formed through said panel in identicalspaced relation to the individual strands of bendable wire on said basefor passage of each separate strand through an individual aperture insaid panel;

. upstanding rods on said base and extending through said panel forguiding the latter for vertical movement in parallel relation relativeto said base from the lower toward the upper extremities of said strandsof bendable wire extending upwardly therefrom; and

7. means on said panel for manually raising and lowering the latterrelative to said base for simuling rods at the level of the upperextremities of said strands of bendable wire.

5. The mat in accordance with that of claim 1, in which said bendablemembers consist of U-shaped strands of soft durable metal wire havingleg portions extending upwardly through adjacent holes formed throughsaid base and each having a bight portion traversing the bottom of saidbase; and means for cementing said U-shaped strands and their bightportions to said base where they engage the latter.

a a a s e

1. In a golf practice mat over which a golf club may be swung toward agolf ball to impress a pattern in the mat dependent upon the directionand depth of movement of the club head relative to said matcomprising:
 1. a rigid base;
 2. a plurality of independent strands ofsoft durable bendable wire able to withstand fatigue from repeatedbending and straightening thereof;
 3. means for mounting each of saidstrands of bendable wire in close spaced relation on said base withtheir free ends extending upwardly therefrom to a level providing aturfy grass like surface for supporting a golf ball thereon and forreceiving an impression upon bending of such strands of bendable wire asare struck by the stroke of the head of a golf club over such surface;4. a panel of rigid material substantially matching said base;
 5. aplurality of apertures formed through said panel in identical spacedrelation to the individual strands of bendable wire on said base forpassage of each separate strand through an individual aperture in saidpanel;
 6. upstanding rods on said base and extending through said panelfor guiding the latter for vertical movement in parallel relationrelative to said base from the lower toward the upper extremities ofsaid strands of bendable wire extending upwardly therefrom; and
 7. meanson said panel for manually raising and lowering the latter relative tosaid base for simultaneously straightening each bent strand of bendablewire individually back into upstanding unbent condition.
 1. In a golfpractice mat over which a golf club may be swung toward a golf ball toimpress a pattern in the mat dependent upon the direction and depth ofmovement of the club head relative to said mat comprising:
 1. a rigidbase;
 2. a plurality of independent strands of soft durable bendablewire able to withstand fatigue from repeated bending and straighteningthereof;
 2. The mat in accordance with that of claim 1, in which saidstrands of wire are coated with a protective material.
 3. The mat inaccordance with that of claim 2, in which said strands of wire arecoated with a material colored to simulate grass.
 3. means for mountingeach of said strands of bendable wire in close spaced relation on saidbase with their free ends extending upwardly therefrom to a levelproviding a turfy grass like surface for supporting a golf ball thereonand for receiving an impression upon bending of such strands of bendablewire as are struck by the stroke of the head of a golf club over suchsurface;
 4. a panel of rigid material substantially matching said base;4. The mat in accordance with claim 1, including means for limitingupward movement of said panel comprising an enlarged head on each ofsaid upstanding rods at the level of the upper extremities of saidstrands of bendable wire.
 6. upstanding rods on said base and extendingthrough said panel for guiding the latter for vertical movement inparallel relation relative to said base from the lower toward the upperextremities of said strands of bendable wire extending upwardlytherefrom; and
 7. means on said panel for manually raising and loweringthe latter relative to said base for simultaneously straightening eachbent strand of bendable wire individually back into upstanding unbentcondition.